Citadel Noir
by Emptypartyrooms
Summary: AU. The Citadel. John Shepard, a C-sec investigator, conforms to the demands of his job: He pledges to protect. He separates his personal and professional life. He tolerates his partners shortcomings. But when an enigmatic woman and a string of homicides enter his life, John finds himself in the midst of a storm that threatens to deprive him of more than just sleep.
1. Bar Blues

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Mass Effect, it is property of Bioware and EA.

**Authors Note**: Hello everyone! Been a member of the website for a while and thought I'd have a go at creating a fiction of my own. So here is my first ever, Citadel Noir. Hope you like it.

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**Chapter 1: Bar Blues**

"Pour me another, I can still see the floor"

Joker frowned then did as I asked. If that wasn't a look of love I don't know what is. There I was, the Citadel. They call it the heart of the galaxy, yet that just meant you ended up frequenting the same dives you could find anywhere else. I thought if I had enough liquor I could drown out the crappy Salarian jazz coming from the stage, all errant notes and reedy vocals. Joker needed a new house band. I couldn't even be bothered to attempt profundity. So I just sat in nowherseville, nursing my fourth highball, the luxury of being off duty.

I wasn't the only cop in the place. Harkin was at a booth in the corner, all hands on an Asari badge bunny . That's just how it goes, Vice guys get all the tail. He had probably neglected to tell the girl he already had a wife, but nobody in the force was gonna rat on him 'cause of a big red sand bust on a Batarian cartel back in '84. Joker himself wasn't about to snitch on someone who brought him business, and make life difficult for him to boot. There were a couple of blues at the bar, nosebleed types, slack jawed. They weren't about to cool it with me. My partner had the reputation of being a wet rag and a hardass, which in turn extended to myself.

At least it afforded me some solitude.

I heard the door behind me swing open. I wouldn't have paid it anymore mind than usual but for the widening of Moreau's eyes. I followed them round to the entrance.

_Damn.  
_

There she stood, the light from the street framing her perfectly. Voluptuous red lips against a backdrop of thick dark hair, styled like a debutante. She wore a dark blue number that revealed just enough leg to make you want to see where they went. As azure eyes scanned and discarded the room, I knew that you really had to be something for this doll to take note. Step forward John Shepard, high on liquid courage. As she strode across the floor a couple of masses rolled in behind her. Krogan, presumably bodyguard mooks, one larger than the other. The smaller of the two was also clearly the younger, the crest on his head lacking form. The new girl shacked up at the bar to my left, her entourage flexing their muscles; eyeballing the room harshly. In my sudden fever I casually glanced at her:

"Buy you a drink?"

The goons smarted at that, the larger one moved in close to me, putting a firm hand on my shoulder. I stayed still. The lady just laughed, a musical sound that came off as perfect. Forced.

"Let go Wrex, he's harmless." she said dismissively. The Krogan didn't budge.

"So what, you gonna try and 86 me big guy?" I challenged, my eyes fixed on his.

He grunted and gripped my arm tight in response.

"C'mon fellas are we on Omega? Cut it out." Joker interjected, voice laced with a touch of fear. He probably knew the bodyguard could kill us both. A dingy bar and an Angry Krogan? Turns out we very well could have been on Omega.

"Let _go_ Wrex." spoke the lady again, this time in a firm voice, like she was disciplining a unruly hound. The krogan relented, took his arm off me and joined his fellow goon on the other side of the woman. Two sets of alien beads looked sharp at me. I ignored them, my attention back to the raven-haired beauty.

"So you got a name?" I asked. She was focused on Moreau.

"Thessian red". A pause, then: "Yeah." she didn't return my gaze. She was making me work for it.

"Care to tell me it? I'm harmless, remember?"I offered, seeing if it was enough. She sniffed, hesitated. Then she faced me with a hitherto unparalleled look of intensity. There was a compelling danger to that stare, and if I wasn't falling in our brief moments before, I was hook line and sinker now.

"Miranda Lawson" A silence followed the sultry sound of her words, in which I realised I had to remember to breathe.

"Miranda Lawson" ." I mumbled, regaining my composure. "I knew a Miranda once." She looked at me expectantly.

"That's the end of the story by the way" I said forming my jesters grin, mask back in place. One all. She smirked and concerned herself with her wine, but I wasn't about to quit soon. I leaned closer.

"I'm Detective Shepard."

"Your parents named you after a profession?" Ice cold that voice. I couldn't match it. So I chose sarcasm.

"Given how much my father drinks it could have been a possibility" I answered in mock seriousness.

"Do you tell every woman you meet in a bar your family life detective?" She wasn't missing a beat.

"Nope, just testing a theory, I heard a woman enjoys a sincere, honest man." Neither was I.

"And if only you _were_ a sincere honest man, and not another dick. " she stated, glacial once again. I'd been wondering how I'd been made so easily until I noticed my badge was next to my drink.

_Smooth sailing, John_, I thought to myself. _This chick's got you jittery_. My companion continued with her wine as I tried to wipe the fluster from my features.

"I'll have you know I got into the force thanks to strength of character. And an unparalleled love for justice, obviously."

Such a line barely registered, leading instead to a tut of disbelief. "And there's that cheap rejoinder you're kind of so fond of. You're just another badge with an act. Stick to solving cases detective, because there is no way you can solve me."

The two patrolmen further down the bar were quietly laughing it up, punks. I'm no goof, so I pressed on. In contrast the two Krogan stayed put as if in vigil, locked on me.

"Well now that just sounds like a challenge"

She checked her omnitool briefly "It's a fact". The confidence with which she asserted herself almost had me believing her.

"Alright" I relented "I'll buy it for now, but tell me this, what's a dame like you doi-"

"Don't even try it" she said, cutting me off with a pointed look, face hardened. "I was passing by and I wanted a drink. How does that sound?"

I held up my hands with a smile "Evasive." Her smirk returned at that, but I wasn't done. "I meant nothing by it. Just a man trying to get to know a pretty lady."

She sighed, drained what little was left in her glass and rose from her seat. So perhaps I _was_ done.

"Well on that front you've failed. Goodbye, detective Shepard"

"Going so soon?"

"I don't much like the music." She admitted, turning away from the bar and making for the exit. I could feel Joker's scowl at the comment.

"So long, Mrs. Lawson" I called after her.

Half way to the door she looked back "It's _miss"_

"My mistake. Wrex" I added, nodding at the Krogan in tow. For a moment I thought I was going to get a response, but they left the place without another word. Part of me inwardly laughed at it all. _Never been shot down like that before._ The moment was made brief however, as the nearby officers broke into loud chuckles.

* * *

An hour and another highball later, I left the joint and got pinged on my omnitool. It was my partner.

"Yeah?"

"_Shepard, just got a call. One of my buddies in Silversun tipped me off about a Homicide down on the strip. I want to get there before local try to piss on it and call it theirs."_

"Alright I just left _Moreau's"_

_"Where else would you be?_

"You're a real comedian, just pick me up on the way. And Vakarian? Bring mouthwash."


	2. An Update

An Update

Hi all, firstly, thank you for those who have viewed, reviewed and followed the story. This is my first piece of work and as such I'm still rather nervous about where I want to go with it, but I appreciate the feedback.

Secondly, updates have been and are to be few and far between for a time, given that I've got a dissertation to write (ugh.) and have a few theatre things to do, but hopefully there will be a bit of relief in late march so I can continue the work.

Cheers!


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